Go Big or Go Extinct
by RoadwayFox
Summary: 2025 finds everyone in Hong Kong for what seems could be the final stand against the Kaiju threat. Cannon with a twist to fit in a lovable OC.
1. Part I

**Go Big or Go Extinct**

**Part I**

_**Chronicles**_

Some say we expected them to come from the sky, others that they would just appear from the thin air. I think, we didn't expect them at all, thinking them to be a boogy-man under the bed. So when they emerged from the depth of the ocean, we were not ready.

Not ready at all.

Thousands…millions of lives lost. Wracked cities. Destroyed destinies. Orphaned children.

Some of the attacks took us by complete surprise, to the later ones we were prepared more than to the first ones. After we realized that the invasion wasn't going to stop, we started creating monsters of our own to fight off the threat looming over humanity.

I saw them first on TV when I was 10. I can still vividly remember it like it was yesterday. I was playing some game of bubbles on my mother's tablet when all channels clicked to what they thought was an earthquake in San Francisco. And then we saw it… an ugly horrific creature that destroyed the Golden Gate bridge, taking the city with its brutal force.

As the time went by and it was established that the attack wasn't the last one, we adapted. We rebuilt the cities attacked, we constructed shelters and bunkers. And lastly we created something that later we'd call Jaegers.

My parents, both working military in pre-Kaiju era, were ones of the first pilots the Earth knew. After Brawler Yukon was created in 2015 and its first pilot Adam Casey died in the trial which led to Caitlin Lightcap's discovery of the drift, the pilots begun to be chosen by their compatibility. And who's better than a wife and a husband?

While their training took place we had to leave our home, my beautiful Canada, making me think that I would probably not see it again. My parents, Lieutenant Devon West and Lieutenant Clotilde Remour, were stationed in Shatterdome in Lima. They were training while I was watching and consequently training with them. The area of defense of the Jaegers of Lima stretched as far as Medellin to Patagonia. But my parents were safe in the quarters until _She _was built in 2016.

A beautiful but terrifying creation of scientists - Solar Prophet, second in the series of Mark-2 Jaegers. But to my parents She was more than just a Jaeger, more than just a machine, more than just a means. After the drift was completed and the Neural Handshake was initiated for the first time, Mom and Dad became one with Solar Prophet. I wasn't allowed to watch the process back in the day but I saw the footage that was stored in the computer memory. That day I knew I'd be a Jaeger pilot one day as well.

Three years and ten dead kaijus later Solar Prophet was lethally injured in a battle for the lands of Patagonia. The Kaiju named Coros emerged from the waters of Tierra del Fuego region. The archipelago that once seemed magnificent and was referred to as the Land of Fire turned exactly into one, covered in blackness and blood. The blood of my parents. Solar Prophet was getting old and the kaijus were adapting…all that resulted into the loss that I would remember for the rest of my days.

Though it was uncommon to leave their assigned positions in the Pan Pacific Defense Corpse, many of my parents' comrades and friends, pilots from all over the world came to pay their respects the day of their funeral. Herc Hansen from Australia, Stacker Pentecost who was at the time teaching in the Academy in Aleska, all the Lima pilots. Some people sent their respects and condolences from far away, I vaguely remember one Yancy Becket who my father recruited when he went to the USA as an Academy Instructor. Yancy was then piloting Gypsy Danger in the Icebox and couldn't show up. I appreciated them all. But that wasn't enough. Apparently my parents with their bold performances and brave actions stirred a lot of lives and touched thousands of destinies. But for me…everything that was happening felt numb. I had nothing. Simply nothing. A lot of people asked me then what they could do for me…to help…offering comfort of any kind. I took Stacker Pentecost on his offer: I wanted him to sign me for the Jaeger Academy though I was still two years behind in age. But at sixteen and growing in the world of con-pads, jaegers and pilots who were making life and death decisions every other day, I was already filled with too many lessons learned. Maybe that's why he didn't even try to object.

Next thing I knew I was in Alaska, in the Jaeger Academy, focused on my goal, driven and still equally numb on the inside. Although I knew much more than most of the future Rangers I worked twice as hard. I realized that my memories would probably prove to be a problem at the Drift so I worked meditation techniques and self-control not to chase the RABBIT at the unfortunate time.

At the Academy I met Mako Mori, who Pentecost adopted after she was left orphaned after the attack of Kaiju Onibaba on Tokyo in 2016. She was silent and determined, mirroring me in many ways. Maybe that's why we found it so easy to be in the company of one another.

It also marked a very important event in my life – the re-meeting with Ricardo Wizinsky, a child of love of a Czech technician and a Peru nurse whom my parents new from our days in Lima Shatterdome. Ricardo and I were loosely acquainted then. Ricardo was nineteen when we met again, with broad shoulders, sun-kissed skin and more than pleasant features he stood out from the rest of the men. His temper was the other thing he was famous for. He was a walking Apollo with a fire in his eyes. But somehow those characteristics made us perfectly compatible, being almost opposites. When we were first called to the floor of the training room, I saw Pentecost's eyes lit up for the first time I was at the Academy (it even got Mako amused), he said he hasn't seen such sync in two trainees who weren't related or intimately close before in his years of piloting and teaching. It was only obvious after long antagonizing hours of training and waiting that we were ready. Ready for real. And by the begging of 2022 in Tokyo _Phoenix Tsunami_ was born. Classification Mark-5 with weight of only 1700 tones the Jaeger combined all the best qualities of her previously built predecessors like Striker Eureka's Angel Wings, switched her body language from Capoeira to Shikon Kobushi like Tacit Roning , had fang-blades like most Japanese Jaegers. Thanks to Pentecost's position as Marshal of Pan Pacific Corpse not a week later on his orders Ricardo and I were drifting to pilot _Phoenix_ for the first time.

When our minds melded and the three of us became one, I truly understood my parents maybe for the first time in my life. It was a strange warm feeling – as if you were home. I searched through Rico's memories looking for nothing in particular. He did the same. My trainings kicked in and I focused not to let the worst of my memories take over. It worked. It was something incredible – like I lived through his life…and beside his womanizing ways to which I just rolled my eyes, he was a good guy. Coming from me it was big – I wasn't a fan of people in general. But what was even more amazing, the feeling of being in control. Finally we could fight back, we could stand our ground. Me, Rico and Phoenix. Together.

Our first mission popped out of the Pacific two weeks later. Kaiju Okashi, category three. A monster , ruining everything that's on its way. Disgustingly big with fangs and snake-like tongue. But the three of us were calm, collected and our every move was a perfection. In the dead of night with heavy rain hitting the metal skin of out beast, we slayed our first Kaiju.

Later we drank our adrenaline under the table with a bottle of Jack but inside the Conn-Pod there was no room for hesitation or delay. I think, by then we were so used to an every-day fear the Kaiju brought on us that we didn't consider pulling back an option. We created killing machines, so kill we must.

Two years. Two years that seemed no more than two weeks Ricardo and I were fighting side by side. We became national heroes by then but fame never exactly was of interest to me. I didn't have any real life outside of Shatterdome. Ricardo on the other hand was showering in it. I didn't mind. We were very different but by the time I considered him a part of myself, that's what happens when you spend a lot of time in each other's heads.

2024 was a mark in almost finished Anti-Kaiju Wall the governments were building with intention of preventing the invasion of Kaiju beyond the Pacific Rim. To my mind it was in illusion – no wall could stop those monsters. Disruption that came next proved me right. Two Kaiju categories III and IV threatened the existence of Japan and that time we knew that Phoenix Tsunami wouldn't be enough. Shaolin Rogue was deployed from Hong Kong Shatterdome. We also got message that Kaiju Mutavore breached the Wall in Australia and took down Vulcan Specter and Echo Saber before he was destroyed by Herc Hansen's Striker Eureka. That day something went horribly wrong, not only outside on the battlefield. We've lost Shaolin Rogue and with her two pilots, Thao Li and Mio Li. When the Chinese Jaeger was crushed I felt something stir…not in me but more in Ricardo, as if it was the trigger. I didn't know what it was then but the tension became unbearable. I think we won that day fueling on his magnified rage and my will-power.

When we came back and Phoenix was having her repair jobs, we stood on one of the platforms observing it, I asked what happened in the water during the fight because I've never, alone or with Rico, felt such an overwhelming rush before…not in a good way. He didn't answer, thinking hard about something. Gone was a carefree attention-whore. This man was focused and hard, he was changed and it seemed that the changes weren't about to stop.

Ricardo found me the next day in my bunker. I was going through the latest Kaiju configurations that our scientists shuffled into our pads. He positioned himself on the floor, his back to the bed and put his head in his hands. I put the small computer away and crawled to his side, not saying anything. He looked at me and said the thing that changed our lives drastically. Rico told me that his paternal grandmother and great-grandmother were sick with schizophrenia and that it's genetic and that the other day when he saw the destruction of Shaolin Rogue it was the start of what they call nervous psychosis.

I was holding his hand when I realized that it was the end of our threesome. Rico knew about his disease and he would never let me into his head, knowing that the poison that was there would more probably hurt me. Also we didn't know what the consequences could be for the Jaeger as well. So I clenched my hands around his and held for dear life.

It appeared that Phoenix got damaged much more seriously than we'd anticipated. Two months later both Rico and I were summoned by Pentecost to Hong Kong. He told us that we were to stay at the Academy for the Shatterdomes were closing due to the distrust of the government to the Jaeger program. Marshal also knew about Rico's condition, and my co-pilot was gulping medications by then, so he secured him the position of instructor of the new pilots.

The Jaegers were close to extinct. I had a feeling that should something not change, we'd be next.

Seemed that Hong Kong brought everyone remaining together: four last standing Jaegers, Pentecost, Herc Hansen with his son Chuck, me and Rico, Mako who I haven't seen for almost three years, Yancy's brother Raleigh who's been MIO for five years… I think, we instinctively saw Hong Kong as our beacon of hope. I could feel Pentecost planning something, I just didn't know what exactly. Maco seemed to know something but held back.

That was it…I think we, the pilots, realized it more than anyone else. We felt the end approaching us with our skins, could hear its client crawling, it was looming over humanity. It was time to raise the stakes. As my father always used to say: _go big or go extinct_.

_**A\N –Sooo, everyone, what do you think? I want a lot of your reviews! Seriously!))**_

_**As you see I had to change some chronology slightly to fit in my OC. What do you think of her, by the way? I know, I didn't give you a name yet, but next chapter…))**_

_**Anyway, I hope you like it, feel free to tell me what you think! **_


	2. Part II I

**Part II.I**

"Again." I said as the bo almost hit me on the side of the neck.

"You just can't be happy for me!" Rico sing-sang retrieving his weapon.

"Can't be happy for you?" I exclaimed quasi-accusingly. "You won the first match!"

"You won the two after."

We were both in our sports attire to blow off some steam in the Kwoon Combat Room.

"Let's raise the stakes." I suggested, smirking as I moved to the corner of the room and fished out two blindfolds from my bag.

"No." The mood in the room changed the same moment. I could see Rico's foot fidgeting.

"Why not? You're fine. You take your meds. Don't be worried." I tried to reason but knew before he opened his mouth to answer, that he's long decided everything. For both of us.

"The meds stop the symptoms. At least they did. With every day this thing gets stronger. If you blindfold me, I'll start feeling anxious. Trust me, you don't want me feeling anxious." I would think he was trying to threaten me if I didn't know that it was his way of protecting me.

"I don't know how to make you see that you're too hard on yourself…"

He sighed stepping closer to me: "You've trusted me. You have to take my word on this now as well."

I was looking at him hard, searching his eyes.

"One day very soon _Phoenix_ will be ready to fight again. By then you have to be ready as well." At that he squeezed my shoulders tightly, his accent thick to my ears. "Your mind is extremely strong. You never chased the RABIT even though you've had all this traumatic experience. We'll find someone compatible with you…"

"No! I won't…." But he interrupted and as always I listened.

"Yes, we will. You're a natural and you will not waste it because I am incapable."

There were tears in my eyes while his soothing voice carried the wisdom. I knew his words were true but for me they were close to unacceptable.

"And I will always be with you. In your mind. Everything I am, everything I ever knew is already in you. And everything you've ever been is here with me."

I breathed out a gulp of air I didn't know I was holding and let him hug me. After a minute Rico cleared his throat and tried to make it all a joke like he always did:

"Ok, close the fountain, chin up. That's ma girl! Anyway, I have to go choose the potential pilots for Becket. Mako and I were assigned to do it. Wanna join us?"

"No, thanks." I smiled and zigzagged to my bag. "I got a message that _Striker Eureka _is here. I need to go check on her."

"I'll tell _Phoenix_ you cheat on her." Rico threw over his shoulder as he headed for the exit.

"Shut up!" I considered throwing something at him but he was smart enough to take both of our bo's with him.

-\-

I've always had a knack for techniques. So when _Phoenix_ was damaged and Ricardo's diagnosis came to light, I didn't have anything left to do – I became a tech. No one knew the Jaegers better than me; I knew them inside and out.

I waved at the Kaydanovkys who were working on their own machine, quietly talking to each other. Sasha waved back and Alexis acknowledged me with a nod. I didn't know them well. Once we had a mission with _Cherno Alpha _and it appeared that Sasha knew my mother but that was about it.

I've never seen _Striker Eureka_ this close before. I looked up in awe, inspecting her metal, armor, her angel wings.

"Hello, beautiful!" I whispered as if this conversation was only between us.

"Hey!" My pleasant conversation with the Jaeger was rudely interrupted with a heavily accented voice. When the owner of the voice spoke again I realized it was Australian. "You one of the techs?"

I turned to look at the reason for my having to break my conversation with Striker and I had to admit (deep deep down) to myself that it was a very toned tall reason with broad shoulders and light hair. Very deep down. He had an irritated look on his face and a dog that was following him around.

"Yeah, sure." I answered when it was obvious that I had to present some input.

"Be sure to…" He was about to give advice about my job when behind him a deeper more mature voice boomed:

"My God…" I looked behind the young man to see who was talking. "Henley West. I've seen you when you were just a little girl…fifteen?"

Hercules Hansen. I recognized him at once. He didn't change much, only the battles he's fought were now scarred all over his face.

"Sixteen." I corrected and produced a small smile to the man who was in front of me by now. "It's good to see you, Sir."

"It's good to see you. I followed your career. Your parents would be very proud of you."

At the mention of my late family I sighed and looked aside for only a second:

"Thank you, Sir. This means a lot."

"I know, they would be. Now, I see you've already met my son and co-pilot here? Chuck."

"Not officially." I said as my eyes captured the other Aussie. He just scowled at the turn of the conversation.

"Well, Chuck this is Hanley West, daughter of Devon West, my oldest friend, and a pilot of _Phoenix Tsunami_."

Chuck nodded: "Wherever is your Jaeger then?"

"It's been in repairing for the last couple months. I help the techs while I'm here." I answered curtly.

"Well then, pay attention to the engine." He threw me a pad unceremonially, turned on his heel and left.

"Don't mind him." Herc sighed at his son's attitude, seeing my furrowed brows. "This idiot doesn't know how to treat a lady."

"Seems to me he doesn't know what respect is in general." I answered but bit my tongue a second later. "Plus I'm hardly a lady."

The older man's laughter interrupted me gently. "You area lady alright. And as for Chuck, it's probably my fault. He was raised in a Shatterdome. And by raised I mean left to himself most of the time."

"Don't blame yourself. We all choose our own way to deal with certain things in our lives." I tried to sweeten the sore but I sucked at comforting…everyone but Rico.

"You turned out to be a very bright young woman." Herc looked at me intently. "It's good to see you again, kid."

"You too, Sir."

He smiled and turned to head out to find Pentecost, or that's what I assumed. I turned the other direction and went to get better acquainted with _Striker_. I had a feeling she and I would become basties.

-\-

Striker had some minor damage of the sting-blades and the conn-pod's characteristics could be better to my liking but all in all She was in good shape.

I was up for some dinner which I knew I've already missed in the mass hall. Thankfully there was always something left for the likes of me.

On my way there I got interrupted by…something furry and grunting! Looking down, I was faced with a bulldog who was probably weighing as much as me…or more. Granted, I was skinny but that furball was huge! He (and I think, it was definitely a he) was looking at me rather passively, I was looking back. I really haven't had any real interaction with animals in my life. I mean, I had a hamster when I was five but I don't think that counts.

"Hello?" Well one of us had to start the conversation.

The beast (because really, it was a beast of a dog) bumped my legs with his head in response. A smile creaped inwardly on my face. He repeated the action. That made me bend down on my knees as I hesitantly stroked his big head. He bumped his head to my hand, indicating that he liked what I was doing.

"Well, hey you." I said softly, now being more confidant in my actions. "Where did you come from?"

As if on cue we both heard a what could really be classified as a growl. "Max!"

The dog looked to the side first, me right after him. And, of course, there in all his glory, annoyed with my mere presence, stood Chuck Hansen.

"Come on, Max!"

At that 'Max' quickly left the spot near me and headed for his master, all the while producing all sorts of noises but turned to look at me just for a minute before he reached the light-haired Ranger. That earned me another set of daggers in the game of glaring. After that the two of them departed from the hanger.

I didn't exactly know the reason but that guy seemed to have it in for me. On the other hand, maybe he had it in for everyone.

-\-

_**A\N – Hey, guys! I'd really like some reviews just to know if you want me to continue this or not?**_


	3. Part II II

**Part **

Next day I couldn't find Mako anywhere until Ricardo reminded me that she had to meet Raleigh who Marshal retrieved from his working on the construction of the Wall.

When Ricardo came by to get me to launch to eat something (me forgetting the time again working on Jaegers) the mess hall was full of people. I spotted the Kaidonovskys and their crew occupying one of the first tables. At the food tables I almost bumped into Herc Hansen but jumped out of the way just in time as he turned around with two trays.

"Good save!" He chuckled good-naturally.

I smiled in return and went to stand in line next to Rico.

"Ohhh, take more potatoes!" Rico called over his shoulder already chewing something.

"Pig!" I shook my head.

We made our way to our usual spot which gave me a good vintage point of the Hansens and the guy I haven't seen before – my best guess was that it was the infamous Raleigh Becket. Herc seemed to approve, but Herc's a nice guy. But Chuck…he was intentionally picking a fight with the other Ranger.

"Jeez, what's wrong with him?" I asked only for Rico to hear.

"Whom? Chuck?" Rico asked, his mouth full of food. "Idonknow. Noborylovedimasakid."

"I'm sorry, what did you say? I was so engrossed in watching you working on your launch outside of your mouth, I couldn't hear what you tried to say." I sliced every word with sarcasm adding a look to fit the words as I threw a napkin at him.

"Very funny !" Ricardo used a napkin. "I said: maybe he wasn't loved enough as a kid."

I shrugged my shoulders once again looking at the opposite table. The tension there reached its peak: Raleigh had a murderous look on his face while Chuck went for a smirk enjoying that he got the reaction he'd gone for. Herc was just shaking his head in disapproval. Chuck then threatened the other pilot as the last straw and turned to leave, the other blonde glaring at his back. The bulldog followed the young Hansen obediently.

"You're interested…"

I looked at Rico confused. He was watching me intently, trying to read me.

"What?"

"You're interested." He repeated.

"I heard that. Care to elaborate?"

"I think, you're interested in Chuck Hansen." Rico said, taking a large gulp of water.

"And I think, you went nuts a little earlier than we expected."

From anyone else it would be considered a low blow and an unfair insult but Rico and I were like siblings so I knew he would get the joke.

"Wow, you're on fire today! I was just saying…"

"Well, don't! The guy goes around like he owns the place. Insults everyone he sees…"

"And still you keep talking about him." Rico said in his annoying sing-song voice.

I dropped the fork:

"See what you've done? I've lost my appetite. Gotta go check the progress on Gypsy."

As I stood Rico reached for my plate:

"I can have that, right?"

His puppy-dog eyes always sealed his deals. I just pushed my plate in his direction and turned to leave the mess hall, making my way to the LOCCENT.

I put my hair in a massy bun, blowing the bangs out of my eyes.

"Tendo!" I called when I saw the chief-technician going back and forth in his office.

"Oh, my beautiful pilot turned tech!" He was overly-excited.

"What is going on here?" I crossed my hands on my chest to look more serious but couldn't exactly keep the charade. "Tendo?"

"I'm just excited about Gypsy!"

At that I nodded and took the pad in which all of the characteristics were shuffled. "Looks fine."

"I'd say more than fine!" He grinned like a child getting a candy…lots of candies…like really-really sugar high. "The tryouts have already started, you go?"

I nodded again still enveloped in Gypsy's technical characteristics until Tendo ripped the pad from my hands almost making me gasp.

"Go, little bird! Watch the show!"

I pursed my lips but complied in the end. I could use an entertainment.

-\-

There was applause when I entered the Kwoon Combat Room. People gathered at the entrance to watch Raleigh fight, he was a new character, everyone wanted to know what and how he was.

Herc, seeing me, nodded his head and I moved to stay next to him:

"Any luck?"

"See for yourself."

Two more potentials went to waste.

"Why is he holding back?" I asked no one in particular.

"Maybe he's not." Another voice from behind me whispered into my ear. Not too close to be too intimate but enough to send chills down my spine. "Maybe he doesn't have it in him anymore."

"Chuck!" Herc warned while I simply rolled my eyes.

"He _is _holding back." I confirmed again and earned a nod from Herc, he agreed.

"And what do you know about bo fighting?" Chuck asked maintaining his position in the back.

"Wouldn't you like to know." I turned my head slightly to catch a glimpse of him. He stood half-foot away from me, had at least a head on me and as always was smirking smugly.

"Oh brave and bold…"

"Look who's talking! The cocky one."

That made his smirk grow even further:

"Who knew! A little tech has an attitude. Care to test your theory?"

"You mean the one where I kick your ass?" I bit back.

"Tonight. Here. Bring your bo."

"Behave, children." Herc barked but wore the most amused expression on his face.

I was so engulfed in our bickering with Chuck that I missed how Mako appeared on the floor. I thought Pentecost wasn't letting her participate…

"Remember, it's all about compatibility," Raleigh said as he circled Maco and came to a held in a stance. "It's a dialogue, not a fight. But I'm not going easy on you."

"Ok." One corner of her mouth turned upwards. "Neither will I."

From the first strike it was evident there was something between them. By the score 2:2 I was sure they could drift.

"Finally." Herc muttered from my left and I just nodded.

"Enough!" Stacker Pentecost's rough voice howled. "I've seen enough."

"Me too." Raleigh said, getting up to his feet and touching Mako's back lightly. "She's my co-pilot."

I was very happy for Mako at that moment but knew that Marshal wouldn't let her fight in the Jaeger.

"No! She's not!" Pentecost confirmed my thoughts. "Choose from the potentials on the list."

"Why not?" The blonde snapped.

"Because I said so, Mr. Becket!" Marshal's authority-sliced voice announced the finale of the argument. "Be in two hours in the Shetterdome, you'll meet your co-pilot there."

Pentecost turned to leave, the crowd started dissolving. I smiled sadly at Mako who was about to bend to put on her boots. She did the same, no words needed. We knew each other far too long.

I turned on my heels and came face to face with Chuck who I thought has long left. Well, to be fair my face with his chest. I blew out a breath of air and looked up.

Before I could say anything, he stepped even closer and spoke with a sly smirk:

"Don't forget, little bird. Tonight."

I just rolled my eyes again and made my way to Gypsy. It's going to be tested in less than two hours. I was nervous as it was.


	4. Part II III

**Part **

By the time Raleigh, all suited up, appeared in the Conn-Pod, Marshal, Tendo, Herc, Chuck, Rico and me were already gathered in LOCCENT.

"Any ideas who the lucky guy is?" Rico came to stand beside me, chewing on his gum rather loudly, as he put one elbow on my shoulder to use me for support.

"None." I replied, trying to break free from his hand which was accompanied with his laugh and someone else's low growl. The two of us turned to see Chuck openly glaring at…Rico. Wow, where's I thought he had that in store for me…

"Ok, you're right, he really got this animal charm thingy going on." Rico grimaced and I chuckled as we turned back to watch the Conn-Pod. "I don't think he likes it when I touch you."

I swallowed.

"Haven't I told you to shut up today?"

"I'll take the right side if it's alright with you." We heard Raleigh address his co-pilot.

"Sure."

It was Mako. I didn't expect that. I don't think anyone (beside Pentecost) did. It was obviously his orders. The truth was: I wasn't sure if that was a good idea. There was a pretty serious reason why Mako wasn't allowed in a Jaeger before.

Chuck emerged on my right with his father right behind him.

"What the…" He tensed and was ready to make one of his drastic moves when I on pure instinct put one of my hands on his arm. My brain didn't even catch up on what I was doing. I could only feel anxiousness radiating from him and felt like my touch would stop it. I didn't even pay attention to what I was doing, I was still watching what was going on in Gypsy's Conn-Pod. I felt Chuck relax slightly and step down under my touch and retrieved my hand, going back to the position with my arms crossed on my chest.

Neither of us saw how both Herc and Rico were prepared to hold Chuck back if necessary and a look they shared after the display that took place.

"Pilot to Pilot connection. Engaged." Jaeger AI announced.

"Initiate neural handshake." Pentecost ordered and Tendo pressed couple switches on his board.

"Initiating neural handshake in ten, nine, eight…"

Tendo's countdown was lost when Hermann Gottlieb limped very fast into the LOCCENT, screaming about some kind of discovery Newton made. I wasn't paying any attention to him or to the fact that Marshal left the room. I moved closer to the glass and was standing right in front of the giant robot with the glass wall being the only thing to separate us.

"Two pilots engaged in neural bridge." The AI finally informed.

"We've got one hundred percent, going strong and steady." Tendo confirmed.

"Come on." I whispered and as if on cue Gypsy Danger moved one of her hands.

I smiled inwardly and looked back at the men beside me.

"Impressive." Herc nodded his head.

"Yeah." Chuck dismissed. "He can remember how to turn it on."

Gypsy made a series of some easy moves before something went wrong.

"Connection interrupted."

At that all hell broke loose: Tendo started beating the monitors but of course to no avail, Rico and Hurc rushed to the Head Tech's side as if they could do something.

I zoomed out of the chaos around me and put a hand on the glass wall.

Tendo was screaming for Gypsy to regain control. Raleigh did but…Maco was chasing the RABIT.

"Snap out of it!" I hit the glass hard.

Right at this moment Gypsy extended her hand, powering up Plasma Cannon.

"Shut it down!" I had no idea whose shouting that was, I think, everyone was trying to shut Gypsy down.

"Everyone, out of here!" At Tendo's command, all who worked in LOCCENT started piling out to save their lives for everyone knew if Gypsy would fire, there would be nothing left but ashes.

"How do we shut it?" Rico was screaming at Tendo who by that time was near me and trying to pull out the right wires from the control pad.

I suddenly felt a strong hold on my arm and then felt Chuck pushing me into Rico's hands:

"Get her out of here!"

To my biggest surprise Ricardo nodded and started pulling me towards the exit while Chuck went back to assisting Herc and Tendo. It seemed that there was a minute or less left before the unruly Jaeger would destroy us all, the flashes and flares were everywhere and it was hard to even see what was going on. And next moment just when Marshal Pentecost materialized in front of Rico who was still holding me by my shoulders while I was kicking for him to let me go, everything went still. Or as still as it could. And we all went still, frozen on the spots that we were occulting. We simultaneously looked it the direction of the Jaeger. She was coming to a hold.

Tendo pulled the right wire.

I was only able to breathe out as I felt Rico's hands losing their grip on me.

-\-

"Don't ever do that again!" I screamed when Rico and I loaded into his room.

After the incident occurred, Rico took a firm hold of my hand and dragged me to his room. Half of the way to his bunker I was still in some kind of shock so I didn't produce any argument but when we entered, my anger took the best of my.

"What exactly? Don't ever try to save your life?" He strike back, taking a seat on his bed, the holographic screen turning on behind him of the wall. "Too late for that. I already always have your back!"

"Not that!" I threw my hands in the air in frustration. "I meant what you and Chuck did! What are you all buddy-buddy not!? Ok, he may think that I'm a little incapable girl that can't help out the big boys but you should know better!'

Rico looked incredulously at me and then said in a voice much more calm than before:

"You think he did that because he didn't trust your skills as a tech?"

"Well why else?" _Dah!_

Rico chuckled. That made my anger double.

"Can you stop for a minute in your angry rumbling and think that there is a possibility that he just didn't want you killed if Gypsy got her shot?"

I stopped in my trucks and just blinked couple times.

"I…I…" Trying to articulate any sound at all I looked at my friend, shaking my head ever so slightly. "That's not…"

"It's not? Really?" Rico countered and stood up to near me. "Think about it, H. It wasn't chivalrous or a-white-horse-and-armor type but that man was concerned about your well-being and tried to save your life."

That was too much very important and at the same time controversy information. And I didn't quite know what to do with it. I used one of my hands to generally rub my eyes.

"I can't think about it right now." I muttered avoiding Rico's intense gaze. "I have to go check on Mako."

"Ok." Was his silent answer before I made my way to my other friend's bunker hoping that Marshal has already dismissed her.


	5. Part II IV

**Part II IV**

In his life Riccardo Wizinsky wasn't the most sensitive or brightest or the most punctual man, he had his rather big share of cons, so to say. But when it came to his family and his job, he would do anything and sacrifice anything. It happened so that a one very slim girl with determined look and dark brown hair became both for him: she was like a family, a sister he's never had (because fair and square, she knew him better than any other member of his family could: she spent a lot of time inside his head) and she was his co-pilot. She was one of a very lame list of people he cared for enough to give his life for.

After a good couple years of fighting Kaiju together, training, eating, Ricardo was shocked and angered to find out that his body betrayed him. He's always known that there was a possibility of schizophrenia emerging in him, it was a genetic disease after all, but he never expected it so soon. Too very soon.

Being rather selfish that he was, he could not report anything and kept his pilot status and a life of a Ranger but that meant putting Henley in danger every time they would drift…even if he found a way to buy medication off on black market. Suddenly Rico found himself not being able to do something like that. Not with Henley. She was a girl with strong abandonment issues. That would have been a betrayal she wouldn't survive.

So he quit. He told Marshal Pentecost, a man who knew him from his Academy days, who saw the compatibility in him and Henley, who assigned them to Phoenix Tsunami. The older soldier looked at him with seasoned eyes and for the first time Ricardo saw the bright lights of respect in them. Marshal offered him a teaching position and restock of meds. Rico agreed.

That's how both, he and Henley, ended up in Hong Kong. Him – teaching new pilots, her as a tech.

But Rico knew however good Henley was at hiding and with her reserved but supportive nature, more than anything she wanted to get back in the Jaeger. But she wouldn't. In respect to him and their union. It wasn't an issue while their Jaeger was still in repairs but soon Phoenix would rise again just like the bird it was named after and then…

That was about the time when Pentecost came up with the operation Pitfall that required all the functioning Jaegers to be transferred to the Shatterdome along with their pilots. That's when Chuck Hansen appeared as his father's, the infamous Herc Hansen, co-pilot. That's when he felt it: for the first time he's known Henley, her being shifted. Rico didn't know how else to describe it but something in her reacted to Chuck like she hasn't reacted to anyone else. Rico had only one idea what it was and he needed a certain other opinion to prove himself right.

That was the reason he found himself at dark hours at the door of a senior Ranger.

"Yes?" Herc open his bunker's door not really surprised at his visitor. "I was waiting for you."

Rico entered as soon as the other pilot stepped aside to let him in.

There was a pause when Ricardo looked around finding that Herc's room wasn't different from his own and turned to face the older man:

"You saw that too, right?"

Herc crossed his hands and nodded:

"Yes. I saw that too."

"So that was it, that was a compatibility. She was never that sync with me…and I was in her head before. When your son came here it's like something in her shifted."

Herc just nodded again.

"I know what you mean. There are people in the world that are compatible enough to pilot a Jaeger together: me and Chuck, you and Henley…and lots of others. But if we are extremely lucky, once in a while we find something that we call a natural drift."

"A natural drift?" Rico raised his eyebrows.

"Yes." Herc clarified. "Natural drift is like a solved puzzle when every piece is in place and there are no blanks because they are filled with the puzzle pieces from the other pilot. That is what's going on between Henley and Chuck, I presume."

"Well, good for them!" Rico threw his hands in the air, amused. "But they don't act like they understand what's going on."

"That's because they don't. Yet. Chuck is very arrogant and stubborn, Henley is very determined and distant…"

"That she is." Ricardo nodded and used the table at one of the walls for support. "She's gonna need a new co-pilot. Phoenix is almost ready."

Herc didn't move. Rico wouldn't be surprised if Herc already knew his story, Pentecost trusted him with everything. He was pleasantly surprised when the older Ranger asked:

"So why are you not piloting anymore, boy?"

Rico took a minute but then decided it was time to let someone like Herc know, he found himself feeling towards the other Ranger. Herc did remind him of his father back in Lima, in that some…_paternal _way.

-\-

I was on my way to Kwoon, my conversation or more likely fight with Mako still fresh in my head.

"_What did he say?" I took a seat beside my very sad friend on her bed._

"_Nothing, really." She answered but the tears that were shimmering in her eyes told the story. "It was my fault. I didn't live up to his expectations."_

_She was talking about Stacker Pentecost, the man who raise her after she was left with no family after the Kaiju attack. _

"_That's not true, you know that."_

"_It is!" She countered. "He didn't believe I could do this. And neither did you."_

_It wasn't an accusation. But it sting to know that she knew._

"_If he didn't believe you could do this, he'd never risked putting you in the Jaeger."_

_There was a moment of silence before Mako said in small voice:_

"_Chuck said that I was a burden and he'd never rely on Raleigh or me."_

_I squeezed my eyes. Yeah, that's exactly something what Chuck would say._

"_Do you agree with him?" She asked, looking me straight in the eye._

_I was debating if I should have lied._

"_I don't agree with the way he expresses his doubts…" I started carefully. "But…I can see where he's coming from. You're inexperienced and Raleigh has been out for five years. And we don't have a place for mistake."_

_She was hurt by my words. I could see that. But I couldn't lie to her._

"_You should go, I want to be alone for a while."_

"_Mako…" I tried but she touched my arm lightly to stop me._

"_No, I understand. Thank you for telling me what you really think." She squeezed my hand and I sighed deeply. _

_Less than anything I wanted to hurt one of the people I could call a friend._

"_If you need me…" _

_She just nodded._

"I didn't think you'd show up." I didn't realize I've reached my destination until Chuck's voice stated.

He was seated on the edge of the mat, legs stretched in front of him, barefoot.

"Well, we did have an agreement, didn't we?" I stopped a couple feet before the arena surface to drop my bag and take off my boots.

"Yeah, but with all that happened. I'd thought you'd take your BFF's side and ditch me."

I looked at him, one side of my face a grimace:

"BFF?"

"You and Mori! I thought you were pretty close…"

I chuckled, it was rather funny. Surprisingly, I found myself not being able to be mad at him. Maybe because I understood his reasoning or maybe because with all the beating and cuts his face endured it was hard to stay angry at him…or want to beat him some more.

"First of all, Rico is my BFF!" At that Chuck produced that same strange noise Rico and I spied in the LOCCENT although it was much louder then. "And second, what are you, still fifteen? BFF?"

He shook his head lightly but chuckled too. "What are you doing?"

"Sit still, ok?" I edged closer and sat on my knees in front of him with a small box in my hands.

"What is it? Decided to poison me instead of fighting me?" He cocked his head to the side to get a peak in the box.

"Tempting." I confessed with a smirk, opening the item. "I figured you didn't let anyone take a look at that after being so busy insulting Mako and picking up another fight with Raleigh."

His face was surprised when I fished out a hydrogen peroxide, cotton swabs and an ointment.

"What? You never seen those things before?" I joked at his expression.

"Haha." He pronounced with no humor in it. "I'm fine."

But he didn't move and I figured I'd proceed with what I was doing. I poured some liquid on a swab and raised it to a rather wide gash on his forehead. I hesitated for just a moment as I saw his eyes following my hands but he was quiet so I carried on with my action. Chuck twitched so lightly that I wouldn't have caught it if my eyes weren't trained enough. Moving the cotton pad away I blew on the wound to make the burning go away faster, something my mom always did when I got hurt as a kid.

When I moved back after finishing the first step in my medical program I realized that Chuck was staring at me with the most intensive eyes. Only then did I comprehended our proximity…or the lack of it therefor.

"…that ok?" I coughed, squeezing out some ointment.

He nodded, still penetrating me with his gaze.

"What?" I asked quietly not being able be under the razor of his eyes anymore, trying to apply the medicine.

"Really, why are you doing this?" He asked as if he really didn't understand and the concept of help was absolutely foreign to him.

I shook my head again:

"I don't know..because that's what human beings do for each other."

"But I wasn't good to you."

"No, you weren't. But I want to believe that the insult you delivered to my friend and as the result the fight with Raleigh was because of the right reasons. And not just because you wanted to be an asshole. I want to believe that I just deeply hurt my friend telling her that she was inexperienced and paired with a pilot who's been out of field for five years is a threat not only to themselves but to the other pilots as well was the right thing to do. So if you would just shut up, I can finish here and then kick your ass."

I straightened up my chin and started working on his bottom lip. I didn't miss the mischievous fire that sparkled in his pale blue eyes.

_**A\N – There you go, a little Rico input; and some more Chuck\Henley. **_

_**Drop me a line, I'd love to hear what you think…**_


	6. Part II V

**Part II.V**

The morning after I found myself in my room with a splitting headache and, to top it off, my eyes were threatening to jump out. I could feel they were awfully puffy and the capillaries inside were burst most definitely.

The events of the night came rushing back to me and I fell back on the pillow, relieving the episode in the Kwoon Combat room.

_My foot moved carefully, I wasn't about to attack first, in a need to learn all my opponent's moves and tactics. Chuck was different; I'd say we were like night and day. Where I held back, he threw himself into the fight. Where I held my defense, he tried to break through. _

"_Is that all you've got?" He smirked, trying to throw me off my mental balance._

_But we both saw that our movements were in sync. I didn't want to think that this kind of tactile communication I didn't feel even with Rico. I felt like I was in the river. And it claimed me and I just went with the flow… with that flow controlling my every action. It was like invisible threads were tied between me and the Striker Eureka pilot and when he pulled a thread, it made me push forward. _

_Wooden bos' hitting each other echoed through the otherwise silent room. It was still 1:1._

_My bo came to a hold near the side of his neck while his stopped at the small of my back. _

"_You're not so bad for a street fighter." I let out, catching my breath._

"_You're not so bad for a tech." Chuck answered. "2:2."_

_I nodded but didn't move from my position, both of us still holding weapons on each other's pressure points._

_The biggest part of me wanted to know if he felt the same, if it wasn't just my sore imagination. But I couldn't ask him, not him. On the other hand I had a way to check it without any words involved. _

"_It seems like it's a tie right now…"_

"_Any suggestions?" He inquired, sensing that I had something on my mind._

"_There's one." I finally relaxed a hold on my bo. _

"_Shoot." Chuck did the same and untangling from our position I took a step towards my bag._

_I stopped for a moment, hesitating. I've never done anything like that with anyone other than Rico. It required a great amount of trust. Trust I didn't hold for the Ranger behind me. So why was I offering him something so intimate that might potentially go massy? What can I say? My ability to stay away from something that can escalate into something fierce consuming everything in its path is just non-existent._

"_What do you have there?" At Chuck's curious voice I jumped from my spot and turned to him._

"_Sorry, daydreaming." Lame excuse but he seemed amused._

"_About me, I hope." He said with a cocky grin, coming closer to where I was standing._

"_Oh, no, sorry, you're as tough reality as it gets." He groaned and I stretched my hand out holding two pieces of fabric._

"_And these are?..."_

"_Blindfolds, genies." Chuck just kept looking at me, waiting for me to go on. _

_By his face it was evident that he imagined some kind of role-play so I grimaced and threw one of the dark red items at him._

"_It's just making sparring a little bit more interesting."_

_He groaned again but started working his hands to tie the bandage behind his head. _

"_Lose the bo." I ordered and heard the sound of wood hitting the floor couple feet away from where we were standing. I did the same with my weapon. "Take a breath. Don't try to fight the darkness, you have to embrace it."_

"_I thought we were just having a friendly sparring." Chuck interrupted but took a deep breath nonetheless._

"_Oh, we are. You just never had a friendly sparring with me before." With that I, fully accommodated with the lack of seeing, took a step towards him as I heard his sheepish steps a bit farther from where I was._

"_This is just…" Chuck couldn't finish the sentence as he was already lying on the floor from my attack at his legs. "Oh you wait…"_

The sparring itself felt really good as soon as Chuck got used to the blindness. It was slower than usual and felt more like a conversation between our two bodies instead of just a fight.

_And then it happened. Like a lightning. I was about to fall down and already prepared myself for the impact when his hands, strong calloused hands, grabbed my falling form and steadied it, my back to his chest. I didn't realize that every nerve and fiber of my body was so tensed. It wasn't just a couple-days or couple-hours stiffness…it was a full-blown its-war-and-after-the-Rico thing. I was a bundle of pressure, my thoughts never ending about Kaijus, Jaegers, the end of the world… when Chuck caged me in his arms, it happened so fast and unexpected for me…I breathed out…for what seemed like for the first time I was breathing…and I relaxed…more like I felt my muscles relax and my neck and back gaining a position more comfortable than I've felt for the last couple months. I grabbed his arms on instinct. I felt Chuck stiffen behind me, he obviously felt it too, but he didn't let me go, if anything his hold on me tightened even more._

_I tore the blindfold with one of my hands and just closed my eyes; breathing like I've just ran a marathon. It all suddenly fell on me like a brick wall, blocking me from running away from my feelings towards the reality. I didn't want to die. I haven't done anything..anything at all. I've only fought in this war, only been a Ranger. And I didn't want Chuck to die, and Herc, and Rico…and anyone else…_

_Like a tsunami, those thoughts covered me and I let out a sob. An antagonizing sob that was buried in me for only God knew how long. The tears that I haven't shed on my parents' funeral, at Rico's words, at the deaths' of all the pilots that were my brothers and sisters in arms, emerged and I was clutching on Chuck's arms for my life. _

_Chuck hurriedly scrubbed off his own blindfold ,accessing the situation as he saw the hysterics woman in his arms. But there was no hesitation in his actions. He steadily lowered us to the floor, never loosening his hold on my shaking body. It was rather easy, my knees have already buckled under me. He sat down, positioning me between his legs, my eyes tightly shut, tears streaming down my face and down on my neck bridging to his hands. _

"_I got you." I just barely heard him, his voice very quiet but firm. _

_I backed into his chest and he squeezed me tighter. The pressure worked its way through me and the lump in my throat started dissolving along with the sobs that gradually started dying out. Feeling the shift in me, Chuck started slightly rocking us back and forth. I opened my eyes but almost couldn't see anything: they were foggy from tears and I could still feel them burning. _

"_I got you." Chuck said again with the hoarse voice of his and this time I nodded, throwing my head back onto his shoulder as I felt his chin make contact with my head. _

_That was enough._

_He rocked us until my silent cries stopped._

_Until I went still, relaxing fully in his arms._

_His body was wrapped around me until I could no longer recognize consciousness and everything went black. _

_Until I was enveloped in the welcoming arms of darkness. Without dreams or nightmares. _

_It was a good but very foreign feeling to fall asleep like that: safe. I didn't think I remembered how it felt like. I knew I've felt like that once: back when I was still a kid. But I've forgotten what it was like a long time ago._

"Shit.." I muttered, my face firmly curtained by my hands.

That's when the Kaiju alarm went off.

_**A\N – Don't forget to review, cupcakes! **_


	7. Part III I

**Part III I**

_**7 Minutes **_

Chuck was being helped into his Drivesuit along with his father. He was sure other Rangers were doing the same: the Russians and the Wei triplets.

They were facing two category IV Kaiju and were to protect Victoria Harbor. _Striker Eureka_ had orders to guard the coastline, Chuck was sure Pentecost wasn't about to risk their Jaeger and engage her in combat if not necessary. _Cherno Alpha_ and _Crimson Tycoon_ were to participate manually. Not that Chuck was merely fond of the idea. He more likely hated it. _Striker_ was faster than the two other Jaegers and that could be used on monsters of category IV. And though the young pilot didn't have any reservations about the other Rangers' skills (going as far as being fascinated by the Wei Clan technique both in the Jaeger and on the basketball field, not that he'd ever admit it out loud), he was certain that _Striker _could be used more effectively. Yet Chuck knew should something go wrong, he and his father wouldn't hesitate to leave the coastline and head for the epicenter.

It takes approximately seven minutes to dress up a pilot. Chuck spent one thinking about the Jaegers, the battle plan and how he had to restrain himself from moving to kick some serious kaiju ass before it's time. He was about to spend six other minutes to think about one brunette with the bluest eyes he's ever seen.

Her eyes was actually what caught his attention when he first saw her and thought that she was a simple tech so he could maybe have fun with her with no strings attached, the way he liked his girls. Her eyes reminded him of the transparent ocean back in Australia, the one he missed drastically. If he ever let himself think about the things he missed. Very rare occasions those were. Anyway, her eyes were blue and she was no tech. But the truth was, Chuck has already lost interest in one-night stands back at home, maybe he's had too much fame tasted at one time, maybe he's matured (a bit) but it was getting boring nevertheless.

He first felt _it_ in the mess hall the next day, her drilling him with her gaze as he was trying to get the new guy, 'Raleigh', to fly off the handle. Her eyes on him fueled the desire to impress, to let everyone know who's in charge, who's the best. Chuck spent all his life fighting for the spotlight, it was rightfully his. By the grimace he spotted on her pretty features she wasn't impressed.

Then there always was that latino guy, her co-pilot who's been following her like a puppy, always eating something as he did so. To say that the guy annoyed Chuck was an understatement of the year. He even played a game one night trying to decide which of the two, Rico or Raleigh, irritated him more. It was a really close tie, he mused by the end of creating a mental list for each of the two Rangers.

He saw her again at the tryouts, Henley. That was her name, Henley West. That time he couldn't do anything with himself, both his body and his mind screaming at him to go and do something, just stand next to her. It wasn't a simple craving for some random girl, he knew how that felt like and what he was experiencing was something absolutely different. A slow burn of something completely alien for him, he wanted to always have her in his line of vision, to protect her was like a primal instinct of his accidentally discovered after almost twenty two years of existence, he desperately needed to trust her. For Christ's sake, he trusted only himself…and his old man, he had to trust his old man for the lack of any other options. No matter how hard Chuck tried to convince himself that it's a simple lust, all his being was telling another tale. The situation in the LOCCENT just proved what he was suspecting: he was ready to use anything and anyone to firstly get Henley out of line of fire and then come back to work on Gypsy's disconnect.

Chuck didn't understand what was happening with him and his urges, actions, and yet he couldn't stay away.

He was almost sure Henley wouldn't show up in Kwoon. He insulted Mako, they almost beat each other into a pulp with Raleigh (that's when Chuck firmly decided that _fuck all the lists, hate this one more_)…there were all the signs for her to drop out. She came. And patched him up. And mentioned that she defended him in front of her friend (not in that exact words, of course). And her ass looked mind-blowing in those yoga pants. And she wanted to kick his ass. At that one he chuckled.

But it turned out whatever they did, the score just didn't go from the tie. As if they were equal to the point where they didn't need to watch for the next move because it was anticipated in the other's mind a second prior. That's when she suggested blindfolds. Chuck's dirty mind could figure a way or two better to use those. But for the time being it would have to suffice to use them on the Kwoon floor.

One moment they were fighting, neither missing a blow, although before he got used to going without using his eyes, Chuck did kiss the floor once; the next moment he catches her from falling and Henley breaks down right there in his arms.

A full-force out-of-nowhere break down: tears, sobs, shaking and all. Usually Chuck would just walk away, cursing under his breath. Oh, who was he kidding?! Usually Chuck wouldn't find himself in the situation like that! He never sticked long enough or had any interest at all what so ever.

The thing is he instinctively knew that it wasn't a usual thing for Henley as well. She by the looks of it was very reserved, tight and silent. One of the only close relationships she maintained where he's heard her laugh and joke was with her co-pilot. And from the small amount of information he could gather from his father it was evident that Henley was tough and determined, and Herc Hansen didn't just give away his praises for nothing. All in all Chuck couldn't imagine her crying her eyes out on somebody's shoulder.

She was desperately clinging on his hands, her back fixed against his front. He didn't realize how tiny she really was before he was holding her in his arms. It felt like she was both, trying to counter him and glue herself further into him.

Chuck knew that he was a man with serious issues who knew only war and showed affection to his dog more than to the other humans, a man who's usual experience with women didn't include any emotions and was forgotten in a flash. But at that moment he was acting purely on impulse. They both seemed to. Her emotions were all over the place, his had to be focused.

Chuck decided that seven minutes couldn't last long enough as he checked the Drivesuit. _Well, his father would have a blast when they Drift._

_**A\N – There you go, guys, completely fully Chuck's chapter. What do you think?**_


	8. Part III II

**Part **

All Jaegers were about to take their assigned positions when I entered the LACCENT room. Tendo was engaging the last drop, Pentecost behind him with his hands crossed on his chest, eyes focused on the picture on the monitors. Mako and Raleigh were standing a little further from them. I spotted Rico and crossed the room to stand next to them.

The adrenaline from the Kaiju attacks Rico and I repelled resurfaced in my mind every time the alarm went off. It was strange not to respond to it running to the Drivesuit room as fast as the legs could carry you and what's more, it made me angry. It was like back to square one when all we could do was helplessly watch as our world got destroyed.

"Took you long enough." Rico bit out when I stopped next to him, the words getting almost lost thanks to his quiet tone and chewing of the gum.

"I was asleep."

He chuckled, his banana breath evidently severe.

"Bleh! What are you, a fourteen year old girl?" I scolded but my eyes were firmly glued to the screens. "Where did you get a banana gum anyway?"

"I got my sources. I'm teaching a girl in one of the combat classes…."

Rico's story was cut short as the Kaiju with the speed of a bitten hyena emerged from the ocean right where the dark Jaeger landed only moments before.

As _Crimson Tycoon _engaged Kaijy category four with codename Otachi in combat the silence filled LOCENNT with only sounds remaining were Tendo's clicking and occasional field update. We were all watching the fight, and it was painfully evident that the Wei's were no match for the more evolved Kaiju.

Immediately the brothers activated _Crimson Typhoon's_ triple saw blades in "Thundercloud Formation". The scream or more likely a sound that reminded a scream was heard: a confirmation that the triplets were able to wound Otachi several times with the Jaeger's blades.

Wounded and enraged monster, releasing a roar worth a thousand lion ones, edged at its attacker, its body skillfully maneuvering to avoid any further contact with the saws. _Tycoon _was only able to throw the Kaiju towards _Cherno Alpha_ that was nearing the battle.

I let out a breath, hoping that together the two Jaegers would be able to eliminate Otachi. But as the Kaidonovsky's began smashing the monster's upper body, its tail, coming out of nowhere, crashed hard on _Crimson_'s head, wrecking the Conn-Pod.

For a second everything went still on one of the screens, reading the figures of the Wei's and then there was only mush left.

"We lost _Crimson_." Tendo confirmed but there was no time to stop, no time to mourn.

_Cherno_ was going out of her way as the Kaidonovsky's were pummeling the creature full force.

"They are left with no backup!" We all heard Chuck screaming at his father urging Hercules to breach Pentecost's orders and engage in combat.

It didn't seem that Herc needed any convincing, he was ready as ever and infuriated at the loss of the triplets.

"_Striker Eureka_, your orders are to stay at the coastline!" Pentecost said firmly in his authorative voice, sensing that the Hansen's were ready to disobey his commands.

"_Cherno_ needs backup!" Was Herc's loud reply.

"Hold your position, Rangers!" Marshal went again; my knuckles were white from gripping on one of the tech's chairs.

At that very moment Leatherback that leaped from underneath attacked _Cherno Alpha_ while the Jaeger was still over Otachi, beating the life out of it. Sasha's screams, Kaiju roars, heavy heavy rain.

"Damn with it." It was Herc.

With that _Striker_ got ready and with a bolt of lightning as it's timely disposition, quick started to where the battle unfolded. _Striker_ was very fast. _Cherno_ on the other hand, gained when it came to brutal force for its weight was to be reckoned with. Herc and Chuck thrust aside one of the Kaiju and hit the other one with _Striker's_ metallic hand.

Too late, however.

"No signal. Cherno's gone." Tendo announced grimly.

I felt Rico grab one of my shoulders and squeeze it, I was still fully focused on the screens.

Next moment I thought the Kaiju won and we all just went to hell: the lights of the whole city went out. A lot of people started running around, trying to make themselves useful but in reality were mostly just getting caught under each other's feet.

"How is this possible?" Rico shouted at me when we were threading our way to where Tendo and Pentecost were standing, Tendo answering the same question Rico had just asked.

"These monsters…Kaiju…they are evolving. This is not some kind of protection, this is a weapon!"

"I need the power. Striker is over there defenseless!" Marshal boomed.

"We need two hours to restart all the systems. Everything depends on the power." The chief technician delivered gloomily.

"Maybe not everything…" Everyone turned at my words.

"What are you saying, Miss West?" Pentecost demanded.

"Gypsy is an analog." I produced and turned my head to where the two Rangers stood, listening to our conversation.

"Yes! She has a reactor!" Raleigh confirmed with hopeful expression on his face. He was eager to go back into his Jaeger (everyone who's tried it once would do it again..and again…and thousands more times). But it wasn't just that, he was willing to pilot, help and save. Something he thought he's forgotten how to do in the five long years of construction works.

It took less than a second for Marshal to make up his mind. That man was smart and strong-minded and he knew the stakes.

"Suit up!" He barked an order and the co-pilots hurriedly left LOCENNT.

I turned to look out of the window, listening as Marshal was shouting out orders to head out and fetch the Hansen's along with the depowered Jaeger. My head fell into my palms.

"They are alive." Rico said from behind me. I wasn't surprised he knew what I was thinking.

"For now." I sighed as the wind and the rain bit profoundly on the glass, threatening to crash it. Both our reflections looking back at us with tortured eyes. Both of us wondering how different the battle could have been if _Phoenix Tsunami_ was there.

-\-

"I'm fine, it's just a cut! Take care of dad!" I heard his irritated voice before I saw him. Chuck was once again showing his proud lack of social skills as he was fending off the doctors, demanding for them to switch their focus from him to his father.

"I think, there's enough human resources to take care of both of you…" I said, holding the doorframe with my back. "…simultaneously."

It was easier. When I saw him with my own eyes (and affirmed what Pentecost had said) I couldn't help but let out a breath of relief.

"Well, I'm obviously fine. They need to learn to listen." Chuck barked and left his place on the hospital bed, throwing away the arms of the doctor and nurse who tried to treat his bruises and cuts…there were a lot of those on his face and body in general, I presumed.

He neared me until we were we were inches away from each other. At this I stated hearing my pulse in my ears.

"You ok?" I looked up to his face.

He nodded but his eyes were running a mile away and I knew it was probably due to a shock. He just faced a lethal creature when his Jaeger was turned off, it was scary, threatening and crazy. He was very close, his breathing was colliding with mine as he lowered his head slightly to be closer to my eye-level.

"Henley!" The older Hansen emerged from the adjoining room with a sling on one of his arms making Chuck jump from his place, scratching the back of his head in the process.

"Sir! Good to see you're…well." I said, standing straighter.

I knew Hercules saw our exchange. And probably in the Drift he saw what happened the night before, there's no hiding in the tranquility of the Drift, I should know.

"Yeah, yeah." He smiled gently though his voice was rough. But that's how men like him were- rough on the edges, and it was ok. "Call me Herc, Henley."

I opened my mouth to say something but then thought better of it and just nodded, giving him a small smile.

"Both Kaiju are destroyed, _Gypsy_ and _Striker_ are back for repairs. _Tycoon_ and _Cherno_ and both crews are lost and lay somewhere at the bottom of the ocean." I informed both Rangers.

The silence was heavy for a second. We let ourselves only a second to grieve for the lost soldiers.

"Raleigh and Mako are supposed to be here any second." I added.

Herc probably thought I was nuts coming over to the hospital wing like a Sunday newspaper. Chuck was just typical Chuck : watching my every move like a hawk.

"I…I better go back to LOCENNT." I announced feeling like I was sinking further into the 'stupid' mode. "Good to see you're alright."

_What? How more stupid could it get? I wish I had a self-destruction button…_

"Thank you for the news, Henley."

Not looking back at Chuck I hurried out and when I was down the hall, trying to beat the shit out of myself by inflicting punches on my forehead, I crossed paths with Rico who was sucking on a lollipop.

" 'Stupid' mode?"

"Yep."

He nodded and we separated both taking our previous tracks.


	9. Part III III

**Part **

The bunker was cold, the rain outside was getting heavier and getting out of shower wasn't a very pleasant thing when you lived in the Shatterdome.

I pulled my yoga pants and a simple tank on, switching my attention to my wet hair that was sticking to my face in the unruly manner.

When everyone was meeting Raleigh and Mako and were giving them heroes treatment that they unconditionally deserved, Rico snatched me to the hangers where only the day before proudly stood _Cherno Alpha_ and _Crimson Tycoon_.

"_Why are we here?" I questioned as I realized the direction he was taking._

"_You'll see in a minute, nosy elf." Rico shushed._

"_Hey, I wanna go see Mako! I have to say how proud I am of her…" I bit my lip as the memories of how I thought her unprepared flooded my head._

"_You'll have a chance. For now I need you to say Hi to someone else." With that he threw open the double doors to the observation platform of the hanger and we stepped out of the dark hall._

_The hanger was far from asleep. The flashes of the repairing of Gypsy and Striker were everywhere but it's not what caught my attention. There in front of my eyes, next to Striker Eureka, stood Phoenix Tsunami, seemed to be in perfect shape._

_I gulped a breath of air, wolfing at the sight of __**my**__ Jaeger. It's been about two months…two months, a week and two days…not that I've been counting. She was fully restored and seemed ready. _

"_Hi…" I said finally, my hands clutching to the railing. _

"_She looks good." Adoration and love evident in the voice of my co-pilot._

"_She always does." I nodded._

_The three of us were together again. Not like before but still…_

The shower was long. I stood under the water trying to determine what's next. Pentecost didn't bring our Jaeger here for nothing, in the middle of what seemed to be the end of the world. If he wanted _Phoenix_ to fight he'd have to find pilots, from what I've seen in Rico's classes none of the students would suit. I was a little too hard on them, maybe, but you have to possess something more to work with the black Jaeger. I was hoping the water would take away the uneasiness that settled on my shoulders…it never did.

The holographic screen on the other side of the room was filled with the reports from all over the world. The places I've seen only from the pilot place of a Jaeger. The places I wished I had the time and opportunity to see and touch….

The knock on the door.

I threw my towel on the back of the chair and made it for the door, not bothering to look in the peephole.

One of my brows went slightly up and my mouth dry as I saw Chuck on the other side. He was probably discharged from the hospital wing. He had rather nasty gashes on his face and his lip was slightly split on one side but other than that I couldn't see any more damage.

I didn't say anything, he was silent as well. He slowly entered my room, sending the door close with one of his hands, I backed a couple steps. Then a bit more. And then my back hit the wall.

I had no idea how starved I was for a human touch until Chuck's lips crushed into mine. His hands which I imagined to be rough and harsh were painfully gentle. And though his every caress was soaked with the same hunger for that kind of affection, I could have never anticipated his hands to be so agonizingly slow.

The room was filled with my heavy breathing. My back to the wall with my hands on his chest I felt his muscles tense under my palms. Chuck dragged his hands along mine and let them trace the outline of my damp back, the droplets from my still wet hair continually making their way down my shoulders and spine. His mouth attacked my neck leaving hot burns everywhere he touched me, making me arch into him.

Chuck's throat produced a thunderous growl and he lifted me up in his arms, my legs encircling his mid-section on their own accord. I lowered my lips to his and captured them as I bit slightly on his bottom lip. Another groan and Chuck hurriedly carried me to the bed.

I could feel his need and his overwhelming desperation. His matched mine in all the qualities and characteristics. He's just faced a Kaiju…faced it without the protection of his Jaeger. It was mare seconds before Leatherback could kill both, him and his father. And he was ready to die, die at twenty two. But he survived and the consequences of this survival were now laid out like a deck of cards on the table. He wanted to create something worth fighting for because there's a moment in a life of every Ranger where to 'save the word' selfishly becomes not enough.

I wasn't accustomed to showing my emotions so physically but Chuck seemed to know exactly how my body functioned, effortlessly making me feel the extremes that I never imagined I could feel.

I thought there was nothing in this world compared to the feeling of the Drift. You're like a sitting duck..open, exposed everywhere, in the silence shared everything. But there, on the hard bed of my bunker there was no space between me and Chuck. We weren't drifting, we didn't meld our consciousness together but it certainly felt like it. It was like we engaged in some other yet unexplored kind of drift because even if he didn't know every single thing about me, Chuck Hansen felt me, and I could feel him.

I opened my eyes wide, very wide and it felt like for the first time in my life I was actually seeing. Lost in the bliss, I was actually awake to life I've missed so much of. There were no tragedies for me to remember and to relive every moment, there was no raging war, there was no impending doom.

Chuck was sleeping soundly beside me, no doubt finally exhausted from the battle, the adrenaline rush, and what we were doing for the last couple hours. One of his hands was protectively wrapped around me, pressing me closer to him, his grip strong even as he slept. I was listening to his steady breathing while my left hand was playing with his dog tags.

"You are not sleeping." Chuck said quietly, opening his eyes.

"You're observant." I smirked but my voice was soft.

He pinched the small of my back slightly, making me cringe and arch.

"Ouch!"

"Survive this one, will you?" He chuckled, starting small traces over the part of my back where the blanket wasn't covering it.

There was a moment of stillness before I asked:

"Why is she called _Striker Eureka_?"

Chuck sighed, closed his eyes for a moment and started:

"I don't know exactly. When dad and I were assigned to her, she already had a name. But I think it has something to do with the Eureka Rebellion Australian miners' revolt against colonial authorities. It's often associated with the birth of democracy in Australia. I think, Striker Eureka is a hope to my people that we will be free from the Kaiju."

His voice was firm but not loud. I think, it gave away how tired he really was. Tired not just physically from the last clash with Kaiju but from the war in general. We were alike on this one. We didn't know anything else other than how to fight in this war. We almost didn't have friends because truthfully friends were a luxury that was hardly allowed in our time. Because friends had a nasty habit of just dying in Kaiju attacks.

I watched his face carefully. When he finished the story I kissed him lightly on the chin. He smiled, eyes still closed and then shifted slightly to have a better vantage point:

"What about _Phoenix Tsunami_?"

"She already had a name when Rico and I were assigned either." I traced an invisible pattern on his bare chest. "But she couldn't suit me more. Phoenix, a bird reborn from the ashes. After my parents died, I really had no one left…literally. No grandparents, sisters, brothers, aunts and so on. It was like I was dead too. I needed to fight to fill the void with at least something. When Rico and I were picked out from the Academy, I felt like it was a new life…like I was reborn to do something meaningful."

For some it might seem like a very strange conversation two people can share after spending time so intimately but for us there was nothing more comfortable and familiar.

_**A\N – So? It's a very important chapter, isn't it?)) Tell me, will ya?**_


	10. Part IV I

**Part IV.I**

We were notified about two new signatures emerging from the breach the next morning. Both category IV.

My mind was spinning: Herc couldn't pilot a Jaeger due to his hand injury, Phoenix was ready to step in, Pentecost was terminal, according to Rico who overheard him and Raleigh talking…all in all we had three functioning Jaegers and only four pilots. To say that we were screwed was an understatement of the century.

"We are the first?" Chuck asked when he, Max and I entered the hangers.

"Yeah, I wanted you to meet someone very important to be before all hell broke loose." I lead the way.

We stopped at the metallic black feet.

"Chuck, this is Phoenix, and she's ma girl." I touched the Jaeger lightly and looked at her lovingly.

"A friend of yours…" Chuck chuckled behind me, Max grumped participating in our conversation and then bumped his head at my leg the way he's done when I first saw him.

"You know, he keeps doing this thing." I turned to Chuck before bending down to give slobbery dog a pet on the head.

Chuck mirrored my actions, barking a laugh: "He likes you."

"Only he?" I teased.

"Yeah, I don't see anyone else who would." He teased back and got rather solid blow to the shoulder. "Ok, fine, I deserved that one."

I was about to reply I saw Tendo and Mako with Raleigh who were already in their Drivesuits near Gypsy. I nodded their way and both of us got up and made our way to the group.

"Tendo!" I called out as we neared them. "Where do we stand?"

"Two category IV Kaiju. They stay at the breach guarding it. They know we want to blow this thing off." My friend supplied.

It wasn't brand new information for a while then. We all knew that Pentecost planned to blow the breach but to me it was always a puzzle how exactly he was going to execute his plan.

"What are the orders?" Raleigh asked.

"What are always the orders?" Tendo murmured. "To suit up and to prepare _Gypsy_, _Striker_ and _Phoenix_."

"How? Dad can't pilot with the hand of his!" Chuck grunted.

"And I don't have a co-pilot." I placed my input at almost the same time Chuck did.

We didn't have any more time to argue when the doors to the hanger slide open to reveal Herc in his civilian clothes, and Pentecost and Rico who were wearing Drivesuits. My mind was very quickly sent to an overload destination. Why was Rico in his suit? Did he change his mind about drifting with me? Why was Pentecost all suited up? Wasn't he not allowed in the Jaeger?

When they approached us, Mako wasted no time to take her father aside. I stepped closer to Rico who seemed to like the feel of the suit he hasn't worn for a while:

"So, Ranger, we're back to where we started, then?"

"Not exactly." He smiled at me.

I shook my head slightly not getting him. He put a hand on my shoulder and bended a little so that the height difference would not be so drastic:

"I'm taking Phoenix and Pentecost and together we take the bomb to the breach."

His words were quiet as if he was telling me something sacred that only we could know. My eyes were filled with tears I would not shed because I understood what he was saying: Pentecost would not survive the Jaeger ride and Rico was not about to come back. I tried to get out of his hold but his grip on me was too strong.

"What? No, you're not doing this!"

"I am. Don't worry, our bird will protect us."

"I'm not gonna sit here and watch you die. Don't you know me at all?"

"We don't expect you to." I heard Marshal's rasping voice and turned to look at him.

"We need you to have our back." He said and I detected something in his gaze, something he usually only held for Mako. "You'll be piloting Striker Eureka with Chuck."

I looked at Chuck, he was looking back at me and seemed not to have any objections. I put my hands on my hips and took a deep breath:

"But…are you sure we're compatible enough?"

At this Rico pff-ed and Herc chuckled.

"What's that supposed to mean?" The two of then irritated me to no end.

"You'll be fine." Pentecost assured me and took off to give a speech before we go to face the monsters. It felt like it was going to be our last stand.

-\-

The hall to the Jaeger was dimly lit as I exited the Drivesuit room, the feel of my suit alien but welcoming on my skin. My and Rico's suits were metallic black to match our Jaeger.

"You ready for this, birdy?" Chucks voice caught me.

I paused to wait for him and together we passed through the door and could see Herc with Max on the leash waiting for us.

"As I'll ever be." I nodded at him, our eyes meeting, and I nodded again. "You need to say goodbye to your father, just in case."

"Nah…Hansen's are not good at this stuff."

"Yeah, I know." I dismissed his nonsense. "But I never got to say goodbye to my parents, there was not a single day when I didn't wish I could."

Herc was standing strong but his confidence was wavering as I saw his eyes linger on his son, wishing he would be there for the battle by his side. Then he looked at me but I was the one to talk first:

"Don't worry, we are the ones that actually are counting on coming back."

I was referring to Rico and Pentecost, he got that. He nodded at me; that was a blessing and approval, and a request to keep an eye on his sometimes sharp and always edgy son. I nodded back excepting everything he could offer and giving his a silent promise that I'd have Chuck's back no matter what.

Then I stepped further giving Max a pat on the head and gave father and son a moment.

Watching them I understood what Chuck meant by "not good at this stuff". They really weren't. With words not said, hugs not exchanged and I-love-you's not articulated, they stood there with full awareness that they both loved the other more than anything else in this life. But they were the Hansen's and their family business was never poetry or PR, they saved the world. People like them didn't have to actually say anything to each other to say it all.

Instead of hugging his old man, Chuck bended and kissed Max. The dog was acting like a buffer between the two of them.

I smiled and with Chuck asking his dad to take care of their pat, we moved on to the Jaeger.

"Earlier today you showed me someone very important to you." I looked at my new co-pilot. "Now…I want you to meet my very special someone."

We were at the entrance of Conn-Pod by then and Chuck stopped, smirking good-naturally, to let me go in first:

"Ladies first."

I just rolled my eyes but gave him a half-smile as his eyes lit up mischievously.

-\-

"Pilot to Pilot connection engaged." The AI announced as both Cuck and I launched into each other's headspace.

There was a bright light for a mile-second and after I was thrown into a maelstrom of emotions and memories. I was watching a silent movie with Chuck starring in it. I saw his mother, Angela. She was very beautiful with kind brown eyes, always smiling at her son. I saw a much younger Herc, giving his teenaged son a bulldog puppy who they in unison decide to call Max after some very old movie, Max Pain. I saw Australian Beaches that were young Chuck's refuge when he had a fight with his dad in those rare times his dad was present. I saw the Academy years and piloting _Striker Eureka_, the thing that made Chuck so bitter when it came to his father – that Herc had chosen to save him and not his mom in the Kaiju attack – and how as the time passed he realized that there was never a chose for Herc to make, there was the only choice. I also saw countless one-night stands that meant less than nothing for the younger Hansen but I did not judge, I knew better than to judge when you're in the drift. And finally I saw the changes, drastic ones, in him when he came to Hong Kong and met me… his internal struggling, his fears, his attempts to understand what was going on with him, I felt his feelings the night we spent together, him feeling serenity and happiness like he's never thought was possible before, how he not knowing what to do, did the only thing he was capable of – he held tighter.

Chuck was doing the same thing with the memories and emotions of my life. He saw me a little girl playing in the snow of the Canadian mountains, throwing snowballs at my dad while mother was preparing our family dinner. He saw me watching my parents off as they went on their first mission with _Solar Prophet_. He stood with me at their funeral, watching as Pentecost and his father offered their condolences. He saw my Academy years and how I met Rico and finally satisfied his jealousy as he felt that the other Ranger was a brother to me. Chuck saw my first drift, my first fight with a Kaiju, my first intimate encounter with a boy when I was seventeen and how I wondered if there was something wrong with me because the only feeling left in me after we were done was the one of disappointment. And the bliss I experienced with him when my whole body and every nerve in it responded to him. He saw it all. And felt it all with me.

"Initiating Neural handshake in ten, nine…" We did not hear Tendo's calming countdown.

There's nothing to hide in the silence of the Drift.

"Two pilots engaged in Neural Bridge." The Jaeger AI announced and Chuck and I opened our eyes simultaneously.

We looked at each other and this time we didn't have to say anything. He grinned and I smiled.

"…going strong and steady."

"Initiate the drop, Mr Choi." I said softly but my voice firm.

"It's good to hear your voice over here, Miss West." My friend answered.

"Same here, Tendo." I smiled again. "Same here."

"Initiating the drop, _Striker Eureka_."

_**A\N – There you go Henley and Chuck's first drift)) Now who expected that?)**_


	11. Part IV II

**Part **

Chuck called in the link, letting the others know that we're on our spot.

"You alright there, Birdy?" He stole a quick glance at me when I lost myself in a moment of thought.

"Peachy." I answered and then buzzed us on the intercom. "Hey, Marshal!"

There was a second before Pentecost answered:

"Yes, Miss West?"

"You've got an exceptional pilot there. Use his potential."

"I intend to, Miss West." Came his reply.

Chuck didn't ask anything, he saw it in the drift. Phoenix was a very unique Jaeger and Rico was the only one beside me who knew all the promise she had to offer.

The three Jaegers shook the bottom of the ocean with their heavy steps as we made our way to the breach. To say that we couldn't see anything was an understatement. We couldn't see neither Gypsy nor Phoenix.

"Two signatures are in your line, one more emerging." Tendo called.

Chuck and I stopped. Gypsy did the same while Phoenix went on though it was evident that both Rico and Pentecost were as good as blind in those waters.

"One Kaiju is right near you!" We all heard Herc's firm voice but still were not attacked. "It's very fast!"

"We can't detect him!" Chuck called in the intercom.

"It's too fast." I added.

"What category?" Raleigh asked.

"Five…" Tendo didn't finish what he was about to say when Raiju, the Kaiju that was playing with as using his fast as the speed of bullet nature attacked Gypsy.

We reacted promptly moving our bodies in sync to get to Mako and Raleigh but as soon as we were in the zone of the two fighting creatures, Striker experienced a wind being knocked out of her as we fell backwards.

Chuck and I both regrouped immediately and came face to face with Scunner with its ugly visage, tentacles similar to the ones of the octopus only if you can imagine an octopus the size of two skyscrapers and disgusting glowing blue slime that was oozing from its huge trap.

"Oh, this one's ugly." Chuck declared as we took a stance and momentary activated Striker's twin blades, waiting for it to move forwards ready to assault.

Scunner didn't make us wait long and darted in our direction. Striker Eureka hit hard, using one of the sting-blades to make a hole in the aggressor. The monster let out a shrilling noise as the razor pierced its skin. Recovering the next moment the Kaiju used its tripled tail to throw us a good thirty feet away, damaging the Jaeger's left arm with the toxic slime.

"Shit!" I let out as I felt that my side of Striker was dented.

"Henley! You alright?" I heard Chuck as the systems of the Jaeger started going off.

"Fine! On the right!" I shouted back and our minds worked fast as Striker delivered the strongest blow to once again attacking Scunner, sending it summersaulting in the other direction.

"The systems are restoring." Chuck said as Striker straightened.

"Tendo, how are the others?"

"Not good!" The chief technician answered on the other end. "Gypsy lost a hand and one leg's injured. Phoenix is beat up pretty good too."

"We're on our way!" Chuck said into the com link.

"No stay there!" We both heard Pentecost's voice as we saw Phoenix delivering punches to Slattern who was the last from the three Kaiju to emerge. I noticed that the fighting style of my Jaeger changed: the usual Asian martial arts were laced with Coyote Tango's kickass counterstrike. It was deathly efficient. If only it wasn't a Kaiju category five they were fighting with.

We turned Striker in the direction of Gypsy to point her six-barreled WMB2x90 Anti-Kaiju Missile chest launcher at the other Jaeger's attacker. We were able to fire at Raiju but missed Scunner who has recovered and was lucky in grabbing Striker by the legs as we fall face down on the ocean floor.

"Get up! Get up!" It was Chuck only I wasn't sure if it was in our shared headspace or if he really was shouting the words. Either way we simultaneously willed our Jaeger to kick as hard as possible to set ourselves free from the Kaiju's hold. It wasn't so easy as one of Striker's legs was in a strong clasp. Having freed one leg we were able to turn the Jaeger's body so we could deliver a punch with the brass knuckles, shattering half of monster's face into pieces with glowing goo all over it.

There were a lot of voices in the link suddenly. Newton…Tendo…Dr Gottlieb…Herc…I couldn't concentrate on them and could only grasp what they were saying thanks to Chuck's focus. We couldn't just send the bomb flying into the breach….we needed to mask it as a Kaiju.

Meanwhile Gypsy was able to kill Raiju burning its head in the lava having previously pierced the creature with the sword. That I felt very proud of: I was the one to design the blade after Mako asked to install one in Gypsy's built.

"The payload is damaged!" We all heard Pentecost as he buzzed Phoenix in.

"And Phoenix is far beyond repair!" Rico echoed, his voice not wavering. "The systems are screaming demanding the attention."

"We won't make it to the breach and fire the payload manually." It was evident. "Gypsy, you're gonna have to use your nuclear reactor. Do you get me, Raleigh?"

There was a second of silence while I was trying to process what was going on while me and Chuck were still delivering punches at the Kaiju that by then was lying in front of Striker badly banged but still alive.

"Yes." Raliegh answered firmly though it was clear that the decision wasn't the easiest one.

"What? What are you saying?" I screamed into the link, still focused on beating the crap out of a semi-alive monster under Striker's legs.

"It's time for Phoenix to become ashes again." Rico called out.

"But you still can…"

"No time, H! Don't worry, I'll keep looking after you." At that Phoenix buzzed out.

"Rico!" My scream got mixed with Chuck's firm "Hold on" as one of Striker's sting blades spiked through the ocean floor right in time to be hit with a massive wave from the explosion Phoenix Tsunami arranged to clear the path for Gypsy.

True to the black Jaeger's name the second wave was a Tsunami. Striker was bended on one leg. Both Chuck and I screamed as we were holding on with all the power that was left in us, both damaged physically and mentally.

As our surrounding cleared and we finally could unclench Striker's hands, my eyes flew to where Phoenix has been standing previously. Where there was nothing in its place. Slattern and Scunner appeared to be dead.

"Gypsy?" I called.

"We're standing, Striker." Raleigh's determined reply came.

But as we looked at our comrades we realized just in how much bad shape they were.

"Get a hold on that thing, Becket, we have to save the world right about now." Chuck said from beside me.

"No worries there, Hansen, we're all set." Raleigh produced a humorless chuckle but there was no more real enmity between the two men, no hatred. All of that was directed at the invaders who tried to destroy us, to enslave our world.

"As you say." Chuck uttered, pushing the buttons on his side of the pad.

Striker moved to a handless Jaeger and threw Raiju's corps and limps at its feet. "Then go get them."

Just as Gypsy was about to pick up the dead Kaiju a pretty much still alive but wounded Slattern emerged from the Jaeger's behind, mulling at its shoulder. Gypsy didn't lose it and mortally stabbing the Kaiju fell down the breach holding at the assaulter.

Chuck and I watched the scene mesmerized knowing that we couldn't do anything else. Though I had to admit that the apocalypse from the front row was a damn hypnotic thing.

"Striker!" Herc's voice came from the link. "Get back to the surface."

"What about Mori and Becket?" Chuck asked the question that was on my tongue.

"You can't help them, they have to do it on their own." Herc said firmly, the weight of being the new leader obvious. But then he added, letting himself something very rare. "Son, get yourselves out of there."

Chuck stirred. An out-of-their-pattern moment of his father's concerned voice asking him to come back home. My co-pilot regained his compose. There was no point to wait near the breach, Striker turned and we limped back using the bits of strength we had left.

-\-

The sun was setting painting the sky in the most amazing colors. Or maybe it seemed so in the wake of our recent victory.

Something was telling me that we were far from the end but for the time being we had to be happy with what we were able to achieve.

"You ok?" I didn't need to turn to know that it was Chuck who joined me at the window or rather an opening in between the stone blocks that was a substitute for a window; the drift brought us even closer than we've been.

I let myself a little smile still watching a finally still ocean. "Yes, I am."

"I have something for you." He pulled something small from his pants pocket as I eyed him curiously.

Chuck opened his arm to reveal a small Origami paper crane. I raised my eyebrows at him, urging to explain:

"There a tradition to burn the bodies of the fallen and give then to the sea…that's how their souls come to rest in peace.. Imagine that this is Phoenix." He pulled a lighter from the other pocket. "That is if you feel that you didn't say a proper goodbye."

I looked him in the eyes. He knew, he felt it on our way back from the ocean bed that I was conflicted, that I didn't know if we did everything we could, if I should have said goodbye to my best friend when we still were in the hangers.

I took the paper crane in my hand, reaching for the lighter with the other.

It was a very thoughtful gesture and I knew for a fact (_thank you very much to the Drift_) that it was a big step for Chuck Hansen in showing his emotions to other human being.

As the flames were eating the small paper bird, my eyes followed the ash that flew away touching the ocean's surface, resting in invisible pieces on the waves. As the last bit fell from my hands before the fire could start biting at my fingers, my eyes closed for a second before a smile rested firmly on my features.

I would always find him in the Drift. He'd forever be with me. He promised. And Ricardo Wizinsky has never broken a promise. Sure enough most of the time he avoided giving one. But that time there was nowhere to run. If he wanted to pull a sprinter he made a promise to a wrong girl.

My head found Chuck's shoulder as we, both tired but ready to overcome the exhaustion for a bit more to witness the result of our what seemed to be endless struggle, watched the last rays of the setting sun and the newly tranquil ocean.

_**A\N – Well, my lovelies! We're almost done! One last chapter/Epilogue and that's pretty much it!**_

_**I'm trying to post everything as fast as I can bcs I won't be able to use my laptop for God knows how long so I'm finishing it in advance. **_

_**Anyway, tell me! Tell me teeeeeell me! Like it? Love it? Poor Rico(**_


	12. Part V Epilogue

**Part V**

_**Epilogue**_

**1 year later.**

The house was penetrated with silence but to my surprise I didn't find it neither discouraging nor depressing.

I stirred the coffee I was making in circles with a wooden stick.

The first act of war lasted more than ten years and ended almost a year ago in the battle that took lives of a lot of soldiers and civilians, that took lives of our Marshal and my best friend, both the bravest men I've had the honor to know and greatest privilege to call them a mentor and a brother respectively.

But what should have been the end of war, was just the first portion. The breaches were threatening to appear in other parts of the pacific. This time we were able to predict where and destroy them before any Kaiju were to appear. But how many times will we be correct?

Newton Geiszler and Hermann Gottlieb were now working on predicting the new epicenters in the Pacific. Well, mostly Dr. Gottlieb was and Newton just kept analyzing any new data he could get his hands on about Kaiju. But I had to admit, they did make a pretty good and efficient team. Predicting the new breach…for now it's all we could do.

The quietness of the room was interrupted when Max rolled in, yawning as he did so. I shook my head slightly, my mind set on the task of stirring. That dog became even bigger during the year. I've told Chuck a thousand times to stop feeding him human food from the table but does the man listen to me? Nooooo. There you go with the result: the dog could be put into the elephant race. And win it!

Max in the meantime took his usual spot almost on my legs and in a second was snoring loudly.

I looked outside as the setting sun touched the ocean at the horizon. I had to admit I've never seen the sunsets so mesmerizing as I saw here, in Australia.

After the final battle there was no point in going back to Hong Kong. Herc, being the new active Marshal of the Pan Pacific Defense Corpse, made sure that the new HQ were located in his home country. And me? I really didn't have anything to go back to in Canada or Lima, plus Chuck was ecstatic to go back home so I didn't object. To tell the truth, I've always wanted to see his homeland especially after having seen it with his eyes in the Drift.

The only stop I did insist on was Peru where Rico's father moved to after Lima Shatterdome was closed. Chuck and I spent two days with Rico's dad, old Papa Wizinsky, he was hospitable and loved listening about his son's heroic deeds, saying that he expected all the actions Rico took, they were exactly the ones he'd do if he possessed Rico's boldness and courage.

I took out two high cups and poured hot coffee into both, throwing cubs of sugar into one and adding milk into the other. I switched the oven off, took a cup in each of my hands and made my way to the study that was further down the hall on the first floor, overlooking the garden. I've heard whining as Max stumbling took after me.

"How's work?" I asked as I entered the study.

"Going…dragging." Herc looked up from the papers that were in massive piles occupying his desk.

I chuckled and placed sugared coffee in front of him then moved to the door I came from, stopping when I heard him. Sometimes he was so into his papers that he didn't notice me bringing him coffee, tea, food even. But that didn't worry me, Herc Hansen was a man who could take care of himself.

"Thanks, Henley. You're my savior." He took a gulp of the saving liquor. To be a Marshal for Herc was most infuriating and at the same time satisfactory work out there. It appeared that he was very good at it once he stopped working in the field so much. "You sure you want this stuff?"

I send him a deathly glare when I spotted him eyeing my cup. "I'm sure I want my coffee."

"It's just I've heard…" When he caught my gaze on him again, he stopped and corrected what he was about to say. "On the other hand, I'm sure you know this stuff better."

I nodded at him approvingly. No one would dream to stand between my caffeine and me. Max finally made it to the room and fell to Herc's feet, exhausted.

"I think he's getting old." Marshal mused.

"I think he's getting too fat!" I huffed.

The older Hansen chuckled.

"I'm going out to the beach." I announced and turned to take my leave.

"It'll be dark in a while. At least take Max with you!"

"I'll be fine, Herc!" I shouted over my shoulder. "It's like you've forgotten that I fought Kaiju!"

I grabbed my knitted cardigan and harried out of the door. I acted annoyed and all but I loved how Herc tasted the caring side of his.

"Take Max…" I puffed. The poor dog had enough on his plate serving as a catalyzer between the two men.

I took a look at the house as I proceeded with my usual path to the beach.

The house was Chuck's idea but what started as his hint was taken by my enthusiasm and soon enough we were leaving in the two-story with a guest room for Herc and a garden on the back yard with a hammock (Chuck's another brilliant idea). Most young couples don't buy a house after a couple months together. But again most couples don't drift together, finding each other's deepest darkest secrets. There was just no point in pretending and playing the relationships from the start. We were in a good place and we didn't want to move backwards.

But we did get into fights about painting, furniture, dvd collection, just because I wanted a taste of what people called normal dating. Because I really didn't care about what movie we'd be watching or what wall color would prevail.

I lowered myself on the sand enveloping a cardigan around my body. I loved watching the night ocean. At first it was hard to imagine the depths of it without the monsters but…you learn to do certain things because you realize how many people gave their lives for you to have that. My parents, Rico, Pentecost, all the pilots…so I loved watching the ocean. It reminded me not of a loss but of bravery and courage.

"There you are!" I heard a familiar voice and next moment Chuck materialized beside me.

"Hay, stranger." I beamed at him. "We were expecting you before dinner."

"Well, there was a small drop in activity, Becket and I had to check it." Chuck set down on the sand next to me, I automatically put my head on his shoulder as he snaked one of his arms around me while his other went to my swollen stomach. "And how's my other favorite girl?"

"Seriously?" I looked at hi incredulously. "You do realize that there a fifty percent chance that it's a boy?"

"No, I really think it's a girl…" He shook his head as if deep in thought.

I looked intently at him and then hit him on the chest.

"You just want a chance at naming the baby!"

I knew it was a stupid idea to agree to split: if it's a girl, Chuck gets to decide on the name, if it's a boy, I'd do the honors.

He laughed and started tickling me which was every kind of awful because I was too pregnant to run away or give him a taste of his own medicine and too scared of tickling to stop screaming and twirling.

"Stop! Stop! Chuck!" I begged. "Oh! Stop!"

"Say please!" He teased.

"I'm having your child, you can't do this to me!" I shouted and he paused for a second.

"Nuh, there was no please in that." He went on tickling me.

"I'm gonna kill you, Chuck Hansen!" I tried between laughs when he finally stopped with his assault but still towered over me.

"I don't think so." With that he kissed me longingly. "But you're right, I do want to choose a name."

Yeah, now he was all excited and happy about the upcoming change in our live but almost seven months ago when I told him… the bold hero with honors went MIO for two days!

"_Chuck?" He was unresponsive for almost two minutes just staring at the fireplace…or inside of it, I couldn't really tell. "Well, oki…just tell when you're ready."_

_I bit my lip slightly. It's not that I expected him to be any kind of ecstatic but I would be glad with any kind of reaction. We didn't talk about children, and personally I knew I was too young and he's too young (who am I kidding? He's waaaay too young) for this but it happened. And frankly, I missed having a family so much through all the years in the Pan Pacific Defense Corps that a tiny part of me welcomed this new development. _

_It's been ten minutes and Chuck was still starring. _

"_Soooo…I know I said when you're ready but could you give me some sort of clue as to when you're gonna be ready? Like maybe a wink? Or you could try nodding?" No answer. "Right. So, I'll be in the kitchen…eating…and drinking. Ok."_

_I heard the door shut. Chuck was gone for two days. On the third night I felt the matrass dip under his weight and felt strong arms around me, crushing me to him and I remember thinking that his embrace became even tighter if it was possible._

"_I'm sorry…I'm sorry…" His whispered words echoed in my mind that was close to falling back asleep. _

_It was frightening news and he needed time to deal with it. I knew he'd never leave me. So I kissed one of his hands that came to rest on my shoulder and went back to sleep._

"Oh my God…" A thought shocked me. "I really hope you are not thinking of calling her…if it's a her…Eureka or something!"

"What's wrong with Eureka?!" Chuck raised his hands in defense.

"You know? I tell you what…" He helped me up, my hands going to my stiff back. _Well, of course, stiff…caring a Hansen around! It's not like their tribe are known for being little and petite! _"Race you to the house. Beat me up and you can choose a girl's name too!"

With that Chuck sprinted in the set direction, laughing as he did so.

I watched him, shaking my head lightly. He was still a boy who didn't have a normal childhood and spent most of his adolescence in Shatterdomes, learning how to and then fighting monsters that came from out of our world. And now that we actually could afford ourselves the normality that's been ripped from us, we weren't about to miss anything. Even running on the sand…or spending the day lying in hammock…or cooking which I apparently was very good at surprisingly…or maybe Chuck and Herc (the letter one when he left HQ) just didn't complain.

I made my way to the house and thought if maybe I should shed a tear to make Chuck give the right to name the baby either way. I really r-e-a-l-l-y didn't want to call my daughter Eureka and have Max the dog as her Godfather.

"What took you so long?" Chuck was grinning from ear to ear with his back to the fence.

"You know, Hansen, you really don't treat me right." I whined as I passed him by on my way to the front door.

His hands momentary found their way around me preventing me from going in but rather turning me back to watch the empty beach whilst crushing my back to his stone chest.

I produced a small semi-displeased noise.

Chuck sighed and then said:

"If it's a girl, I'd like us to call her Angela."

"After your mom." _Well…that's nice._

"And I already asked Becket to be her or his Godfather."

"Oh."

I didn't say anything but a big smile broke my face at the thought that my girl wouldn't be named after a Jaeger.

"But it doesn't mean that we can't call her Eureka when we are home!" Chuck grinned, gave me a quick kiss on the neck and before I could say anything shuffled me into the house.

I always said how the war brought us destruction, death and darkness. But it also brought us strength to stand up to a threat like Kaiju, it brought together people that would have never met otherwise. It brought me something I couldn't cherish more – a family. Loosing one to this war, I obtained the other.

All in all, I don't think my life could get any more perfect.

_**A\N – That's it, pumpkins! What do you think?**_

_**Do you find it too sugar-covered for an epilogue? It is a little, I agree, but it still suggests the war is not over. Anyway, can't wait for you reviews!**_

_**Thank you everybody who read, reviewed and enjoyed! I was happy to share this fantasy with you and so sad to say goodbye to Henley, Chuck, Rico…..good times! **_

_**Love**_

_**RoadwayFox**_

_**xo**_


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